Fan and impeller thereof

ABSTRACT

An impeller includes a hub, a plurality of blades, and an annular structure. The blades are disposed around the hub. The annular structure is connected to the blades. The annular structure includes a plurality of apertures. A balance material is filled in the apertures to achieve rotational balance of the impeller. Furthermore, a fan with the described impeller is provided. The fan and the impeller improve rotational stability, reliability and product life.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a fan and an impeller thereof, and moreparticularly, to a fan and an impeller capable of stabilized rotationalbalance.

2. Description of the Related Art

Fans are widely utilized. A pressure difference of airflow occurs whenthe impeller of the fan rotates. Thus, the stabile impeller rotation isa basic requirement for all fans.

A conventional fan includes an impeller and a motor for driving theimpeller. As shown in FIG. 1, an impeller 10 includes a hub 11 and aplurality of blades 12 disposed around the hub 11. The hub 11 includes aplurality of grooves 13 for adjusting the impeller 10 during therotating and shaking test. Thus, a suitable quantity of the balancematerial can be filled in the groove 13 for adjusting the rotationalbalance of the impeller 10.

Subsequent to assembly of the hub and motor of another conventionalimpeller, a remainder space is necessary to fill with balance materialsin order to achieve the rotational balance of the impeller. As shown inFIG. 2, another conventional impeller 10A includes a hub 11 and aplurality of blades 12 disposed around the hub 11. The interior of thehub 11 includes a space 14 for accommodating the motor (not shown). Aplurality of grooves 13A of the hub 11 are disposed around the space 14.The grooves 13A can be filled with balance materials for adjusting therotational balance of the impeller 10A.

Balance materials can be high-viscosity material such as epoxy resin orclay. When balance material is filled in the groove by a tool, however,it is difficult to remove by the tool since of the high-viscositycharacteristic of the balance materials. Thus, adjustment to achieve arotational balance is time-consuming. Additionally, balance materialsmay overflow from the groove during rotation of the impeller, hinderingform the rotational balance. Therefore, the impeller must be separatedfrom the motor to adjust rotational balance.

Thus, an impeller, which is capable of easily adjusting rotationalbalance and reducing overflow of balance materials during rotation, isdesirable.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Impellers, improving the stability of the rotation and the reliabilityand lifespan of the fan, are provided.

To achieve the described purpose, an exemplary embodiment of an impellerincludes a hub and a plurality of blades. The blades are disposed aroundthe hub. An annular structure is connected to the blades. The annularstructure and the hub are arranged concentrically. The annular structurehas a plurality of apertures for filling in balance materials to achieveincreasing balance when adjusting the rotational balance of theimpeller.

To achieve the described purpose, the annular structure further includesat least one tooth in each of the apertures, the tooth can be removed bya tool to achieve decreasing balance when adjusting the rotationalbalance of the impeller without requiring balance materials to be filledin the apertures.

Furthermore, to achieve the described purpose, a partition between theapertures is removed by a tool to achieve decreasing balance whenadjusting the rotational balance of the impeller.

Furthermore, to achieve the described purpose, the aperture has across-section obliquely shaped along the centrifugal direction of thehub, and thus, the balance materials do not overflow the aperturesduring rotation.

In summary, the annular structure of the impeller includes a pluralityof apertures and a plurality of teeth therein. The teeth can be removedfrom the apertures. Thus, by filling balance materials to achieveincreasing balance or removing the convex teeth to achieve decreasingbalance when adjusting the rotational balance of the impeller is moreconvenient than the conventional impeller.

Thus, rotational stability, reliability, and life span of the impellerof the fan are increased.

A detailed description is given in the following embodiments withreference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention can be more fully understood by reading the subsequentdetailed description and examples with references made to theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is schematic view of a conventional impeller;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of another conventional impeller;

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of an embodiment of an impeller;

FIG. 4A is an enlarged view of X part of the impeller shown in FIG. 3;

FIGS. 4B-4D show the variations of FIG. 4A;

FIG. 5A is a cross-sectional schematic view of an embodiment of theimpeller; and

FIG. 5B is an enlarged view of Y part of the impeller shown in FIG. 5A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following description is of the best-contemplated mode of carryingout the invention. This description is made for the purpose ofillustrating the general principles of the invention and should not betaken in a limiting sense. The scope of the invention is best determinedby reference to the appended claims.

An impeller is described with reference to the related drawings, whereinthe same elements share the same references.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of an embodiment of an impeller. The impeller20 includes a hub 21 and a plurality of blades 22. The blades 21 aredisposed around the hub 21. Each blade 22 is connected with an annularstructure 26. The annular structure 26 and the hub 21 are arrangedconcentrically.

FIG. 4A is an enlarged view of X part of the impeller shown in FIG. 3.In FIG. 4A, an end surface of the annular structure 26 includes aplurality of the apertures 23A. Balance materials can be filled in theapertures 23A to achieve increasing balance when adjusting of therotating balance of the impeller 20.

The position of the annular structure 26 is not limited to that shown inFIG. 3, and can instead be disposed at a periphery of blades, at thefree ends of the blades, or close to the hub. That is, the annularstructure can be at any position of the blades. The only limitation isthat the annular structure 26 and the hub 21 are arrangedconcentrically.

The balance materials filled in the apertures 23A can be high-viscositymatter such as epoxy resin or clay.

FIGS. 4B-4D show the variations of FIG. 4A. The following description ofthe same elements is omitted.

In FIG. 4B, a plurality of apertures 23B are disposed on the inner edgeof an end surface of the annular structure 26 and the outer edge of theannular structure 26, wherein the shape of each pair of apertures 23B istwo corresponding semi-circles. The apertures 23B have the same functionas apertures 23A in FIG. 4A. Balance materials also can be filled intothe apertures 23B to balance the impeller. The shape of each pair ofapertures 23B is not limited to a pair of semi-circles, the shape canalso be rectangular or other irregular shape. The position of theapertures 23B can also be disposed only on the inner edge of an endsurface of the annular structure 26 or only on the outer edge of theannular structure 26. The apertures 23B can also be rectangular or otherirregular shape. The apertures, which can only be filled with balancematerials to adjust the rotational balance of impeller, are provided.

In FIG. 4C, the end surface of the annular structure 26 includes aplurality of apertures 23C. Each aperture 23C includes at least onetooth 24. Thus, adjustment of the impeller is not limited to increasingthe amount of balance materials. The tooth 24 can also be removed by atool such as tweezers to achieve decreasing balance when adjusting therotational balance of the impeller. The shape of the aperture, which isnot limited to rectangular as shown in FIG. 4C, can be circular,irregular, or other. The shape of the tooth, which is not limited to theshapes corresponding to the aperture, can be circular, irregular, orother.

In FIG. 4D, the end surface of the annular structure 26 includes aplurality of the apertures 23D. Different from FIG. 4A, a partition 25between any two adjacent apertures 23D is narrower, and thus, thepartition 25 can be removed by a tool such as tweezer, to achievedecreasing balance when adjusting the rotational balance of theimpeller. Furthermore, balance materials can be filled in the apertures23D to achieve increasing balance when adjusting the rotational balanceof the impeller.

FIG. 5A is a cross-sectional schematic view of an embodiment of theimpeller. FIG. 5B is a detailed enlarged schematic view of the impeller.FIG. 5B is an enlarged view of Y part of the impeller 20 shown in FIG.5A. The following description of the same elements is omitted. As shownin FIG. 5A, the annular structure obliquely shaped along the centrifugaldirection of the impeller, thus, the aperture has a cross sectionobliquely shaped along the centrifugal direction of the impeller. Whenthe impeller is rotating, a centrifugal force F shown in FIG. 5B do notmake balance materials filled in the apertures overflow. Additionally,the annular structure of the impeller is not oblique toward thecentrifugal direction of the impeller, only the apertures must beoblique toward the centrifugal direction of the impeller. The shape ofthe aperture is not limited.

Thus, when the impeller of the fan is used, rotational stability,reliability, and life span of the impeller of the fan is increased.

While the invention has been described by way of example and in terms ofthe preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention isnot limited to the disclosed embodiments. To the contrary, it isintended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements (aswould be apparent to those skilled in the art). Therefore, the scope ofthe appended claims should be accorded the broadest interpretation so asto encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements.

1. An impeller comprising: a hub; a plurality of blades disposed aroundthe hub; and an annular structure connected to the blades, wherein theannular structure comprises a plurality of apertures.
 2. The impeller asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the annular structure and the hub arearranged concentrically.
 3. The impeller as claimed in claim 1, whereinthe annular structure is disposed at a periphery of blades, at the freeends of the blades, close to the hub, or at any position of the blades.4. The impeller as claimed in claim 1, wherein the shape of the apertureis rectangular, semicircular, or other any shape.
 5. The impeller asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the aperture further comprises at least onetooth formed therein.
 6. The impeller as claimed in claim 1, wherein theapertures are disposed at inner edge of an end surface or an outer edgeof the annular structure.
 7. The impeller as claimed in claim 1, whereinany two adjacent apertures comprise a partition which can be removed bya tool.
 8. The impeller as claimed in claim 1, wherein the aperture hasa cross section obliquely shaped along the centrifugal direction of theimpeller.
 9. The impeller as claimed in claim 1, further comprising abalance material filled in the aperture to achieve the rotationalbalance of the impeller.
 10. The impeller as claimed in claim 9, whereinthe balance material is epoxy resin or clay.
 11. A fan comprising amotor and an impeller, the impeller comprising: a hub; a plurality ofblades disposed around the hub; and an annular structure connected tothe blades, wherein the annular structure comprises a plurality ofapertures.
 12. The fan as claimed in claim 11, wherein the annularstructure and the hub are arranged concentrically.
 13. The fan asclaimed in claim 11, wherein the annular structure is disposed at aperiphery of blades, at the free ends of the blades, close to the hub,or at any position of the blades.
 14. The fan as claimed in claim 11,wherein the shape of the aperture is rectangular, semicircular, or otherany shape.
 15. The fan as claimed in claim 11, wherein the aperturefurther comprises at least one tooth formed therein.
 16. The fan asclaimed in claim 11, wherein each aperture is disposed at the inner edgeof an end surface or an outer edge of the annular structure.
 17. The fanas claimed in claim 11, wherein any two adjacent apertures comprise apartition which can be removed by a tool.
 18. The fan as claimed inclaim 11, wherein the aperture has a cross section obliquely shapedalong the centrifugal direction of the impeller.
 19. The fan as claimedin claim 11, further comprising a balance material filled in theaperture to achieve the rotational balance of the impeller.
 20. The fanas claimed in claim 19, wherein the balance material is epoxy resin orclay.